Okla. Senate panel approves hospital fee extension

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A state Senate panel has approved legislation that would extend a program that reimburses hospitals and other health care providers that provide Medicaid services.

The Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Health and Human Services approved the measure Wednesday. The bill extends the program through 2019 and now goes to the full Appropriations Committee for consideration.

The Supplemental Hospital Offset Payment Program was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin in 2011. Similar to programs in other states, it generates more than $420 million to reimburse hospitals and other health care providers for serving low-income children, seniors and disabled Oklahoma residents.

The legislation authorizes a fee of 2.5 percent on the net revenues of 77 Oklahoma hospitals to be used to draw matching federal Medicaid funds.

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